Thomas Alan “Tommy” Gustafson, II

 

BELOIT  /  PORTAGE  --  Thomas Alan “Tommy” Gustafson, II, age 36, of Beloit, went to be with the Lord on January 4, 2009.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at the Portage Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. David Hankins officiating.  Burial will follow in Silver Lake Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Thursday at the church.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.

Tommy was born on August 20, 1972 in Rockford, Illinois, the son of Thomas Alan and Peggy (Dopp) Gustafson.  He is survived by his parents, Thomas (Peggy) Gustafson, Beloit;  his sister, Angela L. (Les) Perry, Poplar Grove, IL;  his nieces and nephew, Danielle, Jessee, and Joshua;  his grandma, Evelyn Gustafson, Portage;  his grandpa, John Dopp, Portage;  his aunts and uncle, Marge Galli, California, Larry (Sandy) Gustafson, Portage, and Shari (Bill) Goetz, Portage;  many cousins and special care givers.  He was preceded in death by his grandpa, Harry Gustafson, and grandma, Virginia Dopp.

God saw you getting tired.  A cure was not to be, so he put his arms around you and whispered, “Come with me.”  With tearful eyes we watched you suffer and watched you fade away.  Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.  A golden heart stopped beating;  hard working hands to rest.  God broke our hearts to prove to us, he only takes the best.  It’s lonely here without you.  We miss you more each day.  Life doesn’t seem the same since you went away.  When times are sad and lonely and everything goes wrong, we seem to hear you whisper, “Cheer up and carry on”.  Each time we see your picture you seem to smile and say, “Don’t cry, I’m in God’s hands now.  We’ll meet again someday.”

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the National Shrine of St. Jude, 3200 E. 91st St., Chicago, IL  60606.